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Library Products Mailer Reaches Out to Consumers

Since the early 1900s, the Gaylord Bros. catalog has sold supplies such as stamps, shelving, and preservation tools to libraries. Now, in the early 2000s, the Syracuse, NY-based company is expanding its reach to consumers. In January it launched BooksForever.com, a Website selling many of the same preservation tools and accessories, but in smaller quantities.

Prices range from a $10 box of book jackets to a $2,000 leather-massaging chair. Within a month of the site’s launch, it was selling an average of $500 worth of goods a day.

And Gaylord has bigger plans for BooksForever, says director of e-commerce Brian Shenker. It expects to expand its product range to include gift items, such as elaborate bookends, desk accessories, and furnishings, in time for the fall-holiday season. It also plans to expand its offering of children’s furniture. And in October it expects to launch a 72-page print catalog, with a mailing to 100,000-150,000 prospects and customers.

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Being prepared for the holiday rush used to mean stocking shelves and making sure your associates were ready for the long hours. But the digital revolution has changed everything, most importantly, customer expectations. Retailers with a physical store presence should be asking themselves—what am I doing to wow the customer?